Bubble O' Blue, Tulum

"Once you do crack, you'll never go back..." or shall we word this better - "after that first hit, you will forever chase that same unparalleled, euphoric wonder for the rest of your miserable days on this planet, and never manage to revisit that one initial, marvelous moment." There must be something in the water up north in the great land of the Canadian. Despite a 25 year age gap between these two 'reforming' junkies, they could pass as best mates; drug-brothers, bonded by a smorgasbord of illogically, deranged experiences that make my years of turmoil seem like an episode of The Baby-sitters Club. My days in Tulum proved highly informative; adding countless volumes to my bank of general knowledge - simply swinging away the hours effortlessly in my hammock. In addition to the many lessons in pharmaceutical composition, conversation could switch between stories of twisted ball sacks, primitive reasoning behind human body-odors, or the likely hood that somewhere down the line koalas happened to gift us the joys of chlamydia.

It was only a few years ago that Tulum was still a small, simple village catering for the tourists who zipped on through when visiting the beautiful, beach front Mayan ruins. But with the recent upgrade to the highway that runs through the center of town, the area has seen a boom in development, and is now a popular stop for travelers on the backpacking route. So here I was alone - and hence bored as bat shit since returning from Cuba. I decided to invade a large groups gabbling circle at The Weary Traveler, whom at once systematically welcomed me into their motley bunch of solo wanderers. It's always surprising how quickly your fortunes on the road can change; and three-quarters through a bottle of tequila later...I've sprang to life yet again, surrounded by captivating individuals, and on the verge of a public (and thankfully bailed on) flamenco performance.

Ruins at Tulum

The next day, conjuring up numerous ideas for killing these post tequila blues, we decided to grab some snorkels and make for the Dos Ojos Cenote, where we acquired our podgy little, dope-smoking guide who threw us in the back of his truck. Now, I've decided I love the water. Swimming in this cenote has been the final convincing factor. Unless you've experienced this yourself, it's hard to put into words; soooo many ridiculous, incomprehensible shades of blue reflect about the fresh, crystal clear water. In some sections you can see down at least 20 meters, where scuba divers explore the deep depths and complexities of these underground caverns. Armed with fins & flashlights we followed our guide through some tight, claustrophobic tunnels, which eventually opened up into huge, concealed chambers - elaborately decorated with drooping stalactites and sharp, eroded rock. At one point we all squeezed into this tiny little room where our heads could only just bob above the surface of the water, and with the likeliness to an iceberg; where the visible portion only represents the diminutive, tippy-top of what is actually there, below one could appreciate the immensity of this subterranean world I know little about. "...and here's where he busts out the spliff!" everyone bursts into laughter, concurring in Chris' unmistakable London humor; all picturing our guide chugging along like a steam train out the nozzle of his snorkel.

Chris & Ash at Dos Ojos cenote

After the cenote we all split up, some heading for the ruins - the others and I off to the beach. Making the most of our snorkel hire, we swam around following some large fish, and even spotted a turtle. Later that night we got into party mode for Chris' birthday, kicking off with dinner at a restaurant before delving straight back into another bottle of tequila. The night got messy, and after dancing for hours at the bar across the street & cartwheeling around looking for the mythical karaoke club, I passed out in a hammock...apparently out like a rock. When I finally woke from my self-induced death the next morning, I booked a ticket out of Tulum for the following day; coming to the conclusion I could easily end up here for months unless I made the move soon. So for now...bye, bye sweet Mexico, you've been good to me. Next stop - the famous barrier reefs of Belize! I'll leave you all with some pic's from Mexico to brighten your day...

Beach at Tulum

Our band of warriors in the truck

Grabbing snorkels

At Chichen Itza